Healthcare DIVE May 20, 2019
Dive Brief:
- Spending on healthcare accelerated during the first quarter of 2019, according to a recent report from consulting firm Altarum. National healthcare spending in March 2019 ($3.76 trillion) was 4.6% higher than the previous year and spending on prescription drugs grew the fastest, according to the report.
- Healthcare hiring returned to a more moderate level in April, Altarum said, noting the robust hiring in the final quarter of 2018 and the first quarter of 2019.
- Healthcare prices grew 1.5% in April compared to the year prior and hospital price growth increased 2%, the most compared to other categories including prescription drugs.
The report...